“It’s as if Simon has the bad guy handbook and is working his way through it,” Shane said. “Of course, he skipped ahead with the whole multiple murders thing.”
Holt watched, waiting to see if she would fold or at least scream. She’d earned the right to do so. When she just stood there gnawing on her lip, he asked the one question he hated but had to know the response to. “Any word from Roger?”
“None.” She exhaled as she dropped down into the chair next to Holt. “What do we do now?”
He liked her spunk. She didn’t suggest hiding or running. She wanted to dig in. All good thoughts, but Holt wanted her here, with a witness at all times, and no trouble. If someone was trying to set her up, giving him more opportunities to do so wasn’t the answer.
He had another plan. One that might force Simon’s hand. “You? Nothing. I’ll take a shot.”
Shane frowned. “At what?”
“Who. Maybe it’s time I see if I can be of greater service to Simon.” The guy hired him and had just given him the “guy” talk. Time to speed up the process and offer him more help than he expected.
“You can do that without breaking cover?” she asked.
Holt smiled at that. “Have some faith in my skills.”
“Don’t blame her,” Shane said. “I was going to ask the same thing.”
That one Holt ignored. “Give me a day and I’ll handle it.”
“How exactly?” She sounded wary as she asked, and her expression looked even more so.
The idea had hit Holt as soon as he saw the paper. Simon wanted to ratchet up the stakes. Then Holt would, as well. “I’m thinking a pretend breakup may be just the thing for our made-up relationship.”
For a second no one said anything, and then the anxiety that had been pulsing off Lindsey disappeared. She didn’t smile, but she did look amused.
“That makes me pretend sad,” she said in a fake crying voice.
“Not half as sad as I am that you won’t be serving me coffee anymore.” Losing the opportunity to watch her walk around and see that bright welcoming grin made Holt want to kick Simon’s butt even harder.
She wiggled her eyebrows at him. “I’m happy to make it for you here every morning.”
“And serve it in bed?”
Shane shoved away from the table. His chair legs screeched across the floor as he stood up. “I’m clearly the only sane one left.”
“Where?” she asked, clearly confused by Shane’s abrupt change in conversation.
“On the Corcoran Team.” Shane glared at Holt. “The rest of you lack self-control.”
She frowned at Shane. “What does that mean?”
No way was Holt letting Shane answer that one. “Never mind.”
* * *
SIMON GAVE THE approval for Deputy Carver to be brought to his office. He’d shown up at the gate, fighting angry and demanding access. Normally Simon would ignore the outburst and send Frank Jr. away as a lesson. Simon was tempted to do that, but he did need to talk with the younger man and the time may as well be now.
After the knock on the door and being welcomed in, Todd gestured for the deputy to step into the office. He did more than that. He walked right up to the other side of Simon’s desk and stood there. Hovering.
Frank Jr.’s face turned red and he started pointing. “You interfered with my investigation. First, you blocked access so I couldn’t ask about Grant. Now the story that raises suspicions about Lindsey. Why?”
The more frantic the deputy got, the more calm Simon became. This man he could handle, but he needed a lesson in discipline first. “As you can see, I’m working.”
The deputy put his hands on his hips. “I don’t think you understand how serious this is.”
That fast, Simon reached his limit of tolerance. He gestured for Todd to step forward. “No, Frank. You are the one who’s confused.”
Without saying a word, Todd put the deputy in a chokehold. The position allowed him to take the deputy’s gun and radio. He grabbed a few more things. Simon didn’t pay attention. He didn’t care. The point was to humiliate the man. Show him he was no longer in charge and never had been.
“How dare—” His words cut off when Todd aimed a gun at his head. “What are you doing?”
“Todd will hold your weapon and other items for you while we talk.”
The deputy tried to look around, but Todd’s gun was right there and his hulking figure loomed over the deputy’s much smaller one. He froze and his gaze shot to Simon. “What’s going on?”
“We’re clarifying the ground rules.” Simon closed the file in front of him and folded his hands on top of it. “They’ve actually been in place this entire time, but you’ve been running around as if you have a say in anything that goes on in Justice. For the record, you do not.”